| Youth drinking and underage DUI or DWI offenses in | | | | consume no alcohol prior to operating a vehicle. Other |
| California can result in a variety of convictions and | | | | types of underage DWIs or DUIs include operating a |
| consequences. An underage DWI or DUI can have | | | | vehicle under the influence of either prescription drugs |
| adverse effects on a college application or a career, | | | | or controlled substances. |
| as well as immediate repercussions including a | | | | Additional penalties apply to an underage DUI where |
| suspended license or a loss of license, fines and a | | | | the BAC tests above .05, wherein the driver can incur |
| confiscated vehicle. Many young drivers may not be | | | | both an underage DUI and a more general violation |
| aware of the range of potential harm they can cause | | | | with additional consequences. For instance, property |
| to others and themselves, or indeed, the range of | | | | damage is a separate offense. With each successive |
| behaviors and situations that constitute an underage | | | | violation, the defendant becomes more deeply |
| DWI or DUI case. | | | | entrenched in the judicial system, with progressively |
| States tend to have their own specific standards and | | | | harsher punishments and a long-term stigma to |
| terminology on these kinds of cases. In some states, | | | | overcome on the path to clearing the defendant's |
| an underage violation refers to Driving While Impaired | | | | name and leaving alcohol or substance related |
| (DWI), as opposed to Driving Under the Influence (DUI). | | | | violations in the past. |
| California's rules are among the strictest with "Zero | | | | It is critical for an individual accused of underage |
| Tolerance" policies mandating a conviction of underage | | | | drinking to seek help regarding healthy life-long |
| DUI for a driver between the ages of 16 and 20 with | | | | practices for avoiding similar cases to limit "recidivism" |
| over a .01 Blood Alcohol Content or Blood Alcohol | | | | (repeat offenses) in DWI or DUI violations. All in all, |
| Concentration (BAC) level, which is generally equivalent | | | | doing everything possible to ensure that you have a |
| to one drink. This shows that state and federal | | | | productive future is key if you've been accused of |
| lawmakers are determined to see that youths | | | | underage drinking or DUI. |